[e2e] Skype and congestion collapse.

[Jim Gettys]

Yup.  I wish I'd had my cell phone with me the day I fell down a
mountain side and broke my ankle...  Instead, I had to drag myself back
to my cabin and call a neighbor for help (faster than calling 911 when
you are in the boonies to get local help to take you to the hospital).

Most of us now have wireless in addition to conventional phone.  When
I've chatted with my wife about cutting over entirely to VOIP, her
concern has been with the baby sitters getting help dispatched.

So as soon as my VOIP carrier can report location for me (any time now,
according to their web site), my POTS line likely goes bye-bye.

POTS only service providers should be afraid, very afraid...
				- Jim

On Tue, 2005-03-15 at 05:24 -0500, Clark Gaylord wrote:
> Alex Cannara wrote:
> 
> > Ok Lars, rely on telepathy when your boss falls down the stairs, or 
> > your wife
> > starts delivering while visiting your office, both during a power 
> > outage. Yeah, try that!  :]
> 
> why? they'll each have their cell phones.
> 
> as much as i hate to see it happen, the mobile communications device has 
> made 911 hand-wringing of internet telephony largely irrelevant. people 
> are safer with cell phones than land line. period. it has nothing to do 
> with the reliability of cell phones; it has to do with their 
> availability. the stairwell probably doesn't have a phone, but my boss does.
> 
> Convenience is seldom a factor in emergency location.
> 
> --ckg